The Justice Department is facing the first wave of departures from the Trump administration after the midterms, with three senior officials announcing their departures in the days following the Democrats’ resounding victory on Tuesday.
U.S. Attorney Jason Reding Quinones and Deputy Attorney General John Eisenberg, the department’s top national security official, resigned Friday. Their departure follows that of the head of the Civil Rights Division, Harmeet Dhillon, on Thursday. The department already lost another Senate-confirmed leader in October, when Patrick Davis resigned as head of the Office of Legislative Affairs, which manages the DOJ’s relationship with Congress.
The DOJ should quickly begin searching for replacements. But one former official’s account suggests the department could rely on interim leadership, rather than rushing to secure confirmations before Democrats take control of the Senate.
A source close to the matter told Washington Examiner The next Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida is Yara Klukas, who previously served as the first Assistant U.S. Attorney under Quinones.
The personnel changes also reached the White House, where Trump announced Friday that Stephen Miller would replace Susie Wiles as chief of staff starting Monday. Wiles turns to Trump’s political operation.
A rush for Senate confirmation? Not so fast
At least one departure from the DOJ was underway well before the election.
THE Washington Examiner reported Thursday that Dhillon planned to leave, citing two people familiar with the matter. Sources close to his projects had learned of his departure three weeks ago.
</p><p>” data-large-file=”https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/AP26225638929602.jpg?w=1024″ alt=”Harmeet Dhillon appears at a House Committee on House Administration hearing.” class=”wp-image-4794188″ srcset=”https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/AP26225638929602.jpg 1024w, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/AP26225638929602.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/AP26225638929602.jpg?resize=768,512 768w” sizes=”(maximum width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px”/><figcaption class=)
Former Trump campaign lawyer Harmeet Dhillon appears during a House Committee on House Administration hearing on “American Confidence in Elections: Protecting Political Speech” at the Capitol in Washington, May 11, 2023. (AP Photo)The resignations nonetheless fueled speculation about whether Republicans would use the final weeks of Senate control to fill vacancies.
“Expect to see many more resignations across all departments before the end of next week,” Bill Shipley, a former federal prosecutor whose DOJ career spanned several administrations, said in an article on
He predicted that a Democratic Senate could “block any nomination with the sole aim of paralyzing the administration.”
But a source who worked at the DOJ during Trump’s second administration dismissed the expectation of confirmation, telling the Washington Examiner: “Everyone is expected to act.”
That would reduce pressure to secure confirmations now and address the administration’s reliance on temporary appointments, which it has defended against legal challenges to its authority to appoint federal prosecutors.
Carl Tobias, a law professor at the University of Richmond, said relying on temporary leadership would be consistent with the administration’s handling of U.S. attorney appointments, including the use of first assistants to run the offices amid disputes over who can legally lead them.
“They can’t bear to go to the Senate,” Tobias told the Washington Examiner.
Tobias said he saw little reason to expect the administration to change course after the midterm elections, especially since Trump elevated Miller to chief of staff.
“They just don’t do anything conventionally, do they?” Tobias said. “So why should they change their stripes now?”
A source currently stationed at the DOJ said she was not aware of any additional departures planned between Friday and the end of next week.
Another exit from the Trump conspiracy investigation
Quinones’ departure leaves the Southern District of Florida without its top prosecutor as the office handles the alleged “grand conspiracy” investigation against intelligence and law enforcement officials accused of using the government as a weapon to target Trump.
The investigation sought to connect episodes ranging from the Trump-Russia investigation and the Steele dossier to the criminal prosecution of Trump by former special counsel Jack Smith. And despite significant setbacks and personnel losses, the DOJ has not indicated that its investigation is complete.
It previously lost Joseph diGenova, the Reagan-era U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, who returned in April as an adviser to the attorney general to lead the investigation. He resigned in September, telling the Washington Examiner“Conducting investigations is hard work and there are always differences of opinion.”
</p><p>” data-large-file=”https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Joe-diGenova.jpg?w=594″ alt=”Trump lawyer Joseph diGenova.” class=”wp-image-4535947″ srcset=”https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Joe-diGenova.jpg 594w, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Joe-diGenova.jpg?resize=300,200 300w” size=”(max-width: 594px) 100vw, 594px”/><figcaption class=)
Joseph diGenova, attorney for President Donald Trump, concludes a news conference at the Republican National Committee on lawsuits over the outcome of the 2020 presidential election, Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images)THE Associated Press reported that Quinones’ resignation followed frustrations in Washington over his management and that investigators had postponed testimony from several witnesses before the grand jury.
Others who worked with Quinones described him as talented, dedicated and guided by evidence and the law.
Sources close to diGenova’s thinking argued that the investigation was never expected to move quickly and that a handful of indictments, rather than dozens, offered a stronger path forward. Sources at headquarters, however, had become more critical of Quinones’ leadership.
Attorney General Todd Blanche praised Quinones’ work, highlighting his work against violent crime and trafficking, including the indictment of former Cuban leader Raul Castro.
Behind Eisenberg’s departure, an alleged fight over journalist subpoenas and DOJ denial
Bloomberg Law reported Friday evening that Blanche had ordered Eisenberg to resign after clashes over White House demands for faster investigations into the leaks.
Citing unnamed senior administration officials, the outlet said Eisenberg resisted pressure to force journalists to identify sources before investigators take other steps required by DOJ protocols.
The disputes included subpoenas targeting New York Times journalists who covered security issues surrounding Trump’s Qatar-donated jet. The department withdrew those subpoenas in July after a legal backlash, Bloomberg Law reported. This assertion was quickly disputed by comments from a senior official at Washington Examinerwho said Eisenberg’s departure had nothing to do with the journalists’ subpoenas.
Eisenberg had led the National Security Division since June 2025, overseeing espionage, terrorism and other sensitive issues. Blanche’s public announcement offered praise rather than signs of friction.
“He served with distinction, strengthening our nation’s ability to confront threats, both foreign and domestic,” Blanche said.
Friday afternoon, Blanche welcomed Miller’s promotion and thanked Wiles.
ATTORNEY SUPERVISING INVESTIGATION INTO TRUMP’S “GREAT CONSPIRACY” REsigns
“She is a rockstar and will undoubtedly continue to work to make our country great,” Blanche wrote. “Looking forward to continuing our work with my good friend Stephen Miller as chef. »
After highlighting the administration’s work on crime, public safety and fraud, he added: “We are not slowing down. »
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